Often times it is necessary during orthopedic surgical operations to place an implant relative to a bone of a patient. Such orthopedic implants may include transcutaneous pins (e.g., intra medullary (IM) pins), wires (e.g., Kirschner wires (K-wires)), or other implants. For instance, such implants may be used for pin fixation of bones, in connection with skeletal traction, or for other purposes. In any regard, placement of such implants may involve significant time, effort, and skill on the part of a surgeon.
For instance, depending upon the nature of the operation and/or purpose of the implant, it may be necessary to dispose the distal tip of the implant at various locations relative to the structure of the bone of the patient. Furthermore, it may be necessary to create boxes or use other tools in connection with placement of an orthopedic implant. In doing so, the surgeon is left to judge such placement based solely upon the feel or perception of the surgeon. As the implants may be placed using powered tools such as pneumatic or electric drills or the like, the placement of an implant often results in added time and complexity to an orthopedic operation. Moreover, as the surgeon's feel or perception is relied on for accurate placement, the potential exists for the implant to be misplaced. Furthermore, having an implant pass completely through the bone in which it is to be placed may also result in damage to the issue surrounding the bone. In any event, the placement of orthopedic implants may present complications that may result in increased time, cost, or risk to surgical procedures.